


Space and Stars Between

by kileya0563



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Character Death, Death Eaters, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hogsmeade, Hogwarts, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, The Golden Trio, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:07:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28081404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kileya0563/pseuds/kileya0563
Summary: Anna Blackwood is a pureblood, aristocratic witch with hidden family history and an obscene liking for muggle culture. Fred and George Weasley are two redheaded wizards with a knack for getting in trouble and labeled as blood-traitors. Anna Blackwood finds herself entangled with the twins during her time at Hogwarts, and after, joining them on their many, many adventures and pranks, while all the while untangling her own family story, with whispers of the Dark Lord lurking over them.
Relationships: Angelina Johnson/Lee Jordan, Fred Weasley/Original Female Character(s), Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Katie Bell/Alicia Spinnet
Comments: 3
Kudos: 3





	1. Summer 1989: A Toast To Anna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A letter, first introductions, and exploding drinks.

_Rebel Rebel, you've torn your dress_

_Rebel Rebel, your face is a mess_

_Rebel Rebel, how could they know?  
_

_Hot tramp, I love you so!_

**August 25th, 1989**

_ Dear Mum,  _

_ I hope all is treating you well. I start my first year at Hogwarts on September 1st. I finally got my letter! I wish you could have seen dads face, I think he was more excited than I was. He got a bit caught up, and talked for ages telling me stories of his own years at Hogwarts. It was a bit boring, he didn’t seem like he was very much fun when he was younger. But don’t tell him I said that, oh, he’d be upset. But he’s taking me to Diagon Alley tomorrow, he told me I could get my own owl! I’ve been waiting for  _ ages _. I think I’ll name her after you.  _

_ I miss you. Please come home soon.  _

_ With love,  _

_ Anna.  _

Anna raced down the stairs, narrowly missing the last step. She clutched the railing to steady herself, pausing for a moment. She could hear her father humming low to himself, a melody she faintly recognized. She glanced at her hand, where her letter was clutched. It was now a bit crumpled in her hand, only the bottom. She quickly uncurled her hand, letting the letter dangle from her fingers, careful not to ruin it any more. 

Slowly, careful not to slip on the wooden floor, she made her way into the kitchen. Her home was rather large, too large for her liking. Without her mother around, many of the once full rooms had become rather empty. The ballroom upstairs had once been Anna’s favorite room in the whole house. It had always been full of people, music always playing, and it reminded her of Christmas. But now the room sat utterly neglected. The wallpaper had begun chipping, cobwebs decorated the walls, the chandelier had fallen and shattered a few years ago, and the record player sat dusty and most likely broken. She couldn’t step foot in that room anymore. It didn’t feel right, and it gave her the creeps. She tended to steer clear of the top floor whenever possible, actually. Anna knew that the only reason they kept the manor home was that her father couldn’t bear to part with it. Her mother had picked out the house, and Oliver Blackwood seemed to cling to that last piece of Elanore. It was rather sad, really. 

She turned the corner and pushed open the door that led to the kitchen. Anna’s father stood above the granite counter, studying what appeared to be an old recipe. He had a bright green apron tied around his waist, dirtied already with food. Anna’s older brother, Aries, sat at the table across the room, next to the two grand windows on the back wall. His dark hair curtained his face as he leaned over a book. 

She looked carefully from Aries, back to her father. “Dad,” she said quietly. Oliver looked up, startled, from his recipe. His face quickly changed from surprise to a bright smile as he beckoned her over for a hug. 

“Hello, Anna-bug,” Oliver said, endearingly, as he ruffled her hair. “What do you need.” Aries looked up from his book, only for a moment, before turning all his attention to whatever it was he was reading. It looked rather boring, and Anna couldn’t imagine why he would want to spend his summer studying. He was only a second year, after all. His OWLs were  _ ages  _ away, though he always seemed to be snippy about something these days. Sticking to a strict schedule of reading and sulking around the house, it seemed. 

“I wrote a letter for mum,” Anna said, proudly, dropping her letter onto the counter. Oliver glanced at it quickly, then stared. His familial grin changed into an odd look as he stared at  _ Elanore Blackwood,  _ written in the best script Anna could manage, across the front of the envelope. “I thought she would like to know I got into Hogwarts.” Aries snorted from across the room, and Anna turned to glare at him. 

“Yeah, I’m sure she’ll come running back, just for you,  _ Anna-bug _ .” Aries’s voice dripped with resentment, and Anna crossed her arms. 

“Oh, piss off Aries. Why don’t  _ you  _ write to her.” 

“Anna!” Her father exclaimed, scandalized. “Do not tell your brother to piss off! Where did you even hear that?” 

Anna shrugged. Growing up on the outskirts of London, distanced from a majority of other wizards and witches, Anna had spent a lot of her time with south London muggle boys and girls. She had learned a lot of words that summer, actually. Wanker, tosser, shit, prat, git, fuck-

“It’s those muggle kids, Dad. I don’t know why you let her hang around with them. All they do is get in trouble.” 

“We do  _ not!”  _ Anna had the urge to scream and felt she must defend her friends’ honors. Though, a lot of them had been in trouble with muggle police a few times. She was fairly certain her closest friend, Nina, had stolen a pack of eyeshadow from one of the convince stores the last time the two had been out together. But Anna had never been in trouble, and it didn’t mean her friends were bad people. It just meant they were more fun, she supposed. 

“You  _ just  _ told me about how that boy Ethan got off probation-” 

“ _ So?”  _ Anna shot back, ready for a fight. Oliver looked shocked, and as if he wished he had never heard any of this. Anna looked at him guiltily. He had never really asked about her friends, and she didn’t get why it mattered so much. Wasn’t that what muggles were supposed to do?

“Just-” Oliver sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Anna knew he wouldn’t tell her not to hang out with her friends, not in a million years, though Aries sure wanted him to. “Just stop bickering. Aries, come help me finish dinner. Anna, I’ll send your letter out with Nora tomorrow morning.” 

Nora was the family owl. Though Aries had his own and Anna would be getting her own soon. They used Nora most often. Aries’ owl hated everyone but Aries, and Anna didn’t even want to try sending it out to take a letter for her.

“Get ready for what?” Anna asked, standing on her tiptoes trying to read the recipe her father was looking at from across the counter. 

“Merlin, Anna, your celebration dinner. I’ve mentioned it only twenty times this week,” Oliver said, exasperated. Anna felt her cheeks go red. 

“Sorry,” she mumbled. 

“Who is all coming?” Aries asked. He had left his book opened on the table and Anna could now see a clear page with a moving illustration of a dementor. She shivered and looked away, deciding she didn’t even want to know why he was reading about such horrid creatures. 

“Arthur and Molly and their children, the Abbots, the Woods, I believe Bagman himself will be joining us-” 

“The Weasleys?” Aries looked positively scared. “But there’s nine of them!” 

“Eight,” Oliver corrected. “Their eldest isn’t coming.” This didn’t seem to soothe Aries, and he mumbled something that sounded awful like ‘bloody Weasleys’ before grabbing the egg carton. 

***

The house was full that night, a few more people coming than expected. Anna had put on her favorite red dress and flats, and she felt positively pretty as she greeted the guests. Despite their bickering, Aries had admitted he was rather proud of her, and even apologized for ratting her friends out, which she felt was good enough. 

“A toast to Anna,” Her father had said that night, standing up at the head of their large dinner table. It was the first time they had used it in a long while, and it was odd to be eating in the dining room again instead of just quick meals at the kitchen counter. But she enjoyed it. “To the next seven years ahead!” 

“To Anna!” Everyone had cheered loudly. Anna had turned red and awkwardly smiled, not really knowing what she was to do in this situation. Nina would have found the whole thing hilarious. She also would have adored the Weasleys. 

All eight of the Weasleys had shown, to Aries dismay. Anna knew Mr. Weasley from brief meetings and rather liked the man. He was fascinated by muggles and all their contraptions. He had asked Anna if she knew what a plug was, and then went on for about twenty minutes about his plug collection and how enticing they were. Mrs. Weasley had, fortunately, come to her rescue and introduced her to her children. 

“This is Charlie,” she said, gesturing to the tallest boy. He was rather handsome, Anna noted. He had a strong jaw and a wide build. His hair was longer, though not nearly as long as Aries’, and wavy. He gave her an infectious grin, and Anna smiled shyly back as she felt heat travel up the nape of her neck. “My second eldest. He’ll be graduating this year.” 

“Nice to meet you, Anna,” He said, sticking out his hand for her to shake, which she did. His calluses were rough against her own soft hands. “Say, do you play quidditch by any chance?” 

“I know a bit,” she said, standing a bit taller. “I’m not too experienced, though. But I love to play!” 

Charlie had dived into the topic with Anna, informing her that he was both the Gryffindor captain, and the seeker.

“The Quidditch Cup is practically in the bag this year,” Charlie had said, confidently.

“Not so fast, Weasley,” Aries, who was a Slytherin, interrupted. “I’ve heard Slytherin’s got a strong team in mind this year-” Charlie snorted. 

“We’ll see about that, Blackwood. You trying out?” 

“Possibly.” Anna knew Aries was, he had talked of little else over the summer. “Afraid I’ll beat you to the snitch?” Charlie chuckled. 

“I guess we will just have to wait and see…” 

Aries had called Charlie a bloody prat as soon as he had turned around, but Anna noticed the bright color in his cheeks, and the small grin he tried to push down after Charlie had shaken his hand rather fiercely. 

Anna had also been introduced to Percy Weasley, who spoke little to her but seemed engulfed in a conversation with Ludo Bagman, pestering the poor guy with tons of questions about the inner workings of the ministry. 

Ron and Ginny Weasley were the two youngest and seemed rather shy from what Anna could tell. They stuck close to Mrs. Weasley and talked very little. Though Ron kept grabbing food from the table and practically inhaling it as if he was starved. 

Fred and George Weasley, however, seemed to be keen on gaining the spotlight. The two twins were nearly completely identical, and Anna had trouble telling the two apart. Though it seemed Fred was a bit more of an instigator than George. They were both her age, and George kept glancing around the room nervously. He seemed to be waiting for something. 

“I’m Fred, and this is George,” the taller of the two twins said, holding out a hand grinning. 

“Hello,” Anna said, smiling back and shaking his hand. He shook her hand vigorously, with a giddy kind of energy. “Are you two first years?” 

“Sadly,” said the other twin, introduced as George. “Much rather be a third-year. I’d have a better chance of getting on the quidditch team, then.” Anna furrowed her brow. 

“Isn’t your brother the captain?” The twins nodded glumly. 

“Said he wouldn’t pull any strings for us, that bloody prat.” Fred scowled, glaring at his brother who was now chatting animatedly with Mr. Bagman. 

“Ah.” Anna really didn’t know what else to say to that. She thought Charlie seemed like a sensible man, Fred and George could just be bad at quidditch. Though she felt that wasn’t the right thing to say at the moment. She glanced around nervously, trying to decide what to do. She wanted the twins to like her. Wanted to make some friends her own age before going to Hogwarts. She didn’t fancy the thought of spending the year on her own.

Fred glanced at his brother, who gave him a quick nod, and Fred leaned in closer to Anna, his voice low. "Do you want us to let you in on our big plan?" He asked, quietly so only Anna could hear. She furrowed her brows, confused. 

"What do you mean?" 

"You see," Fred continued, "Georgie and I here have acquired some... pellets that when put into liquid they will explode." 

"Oh," said Anna, faintly following Fred's train of thought. "I see." 

"Yes. But, we thought, since it is _your_ party after all it would only be polite of us to ask permission before we cause any chaos." Fred gave Anna a rather charming smile as he reached into his chest pocket and pulled out a handful of small, pill-shaped explosives. 

"I get the feeling you don't ask for permission very often." Anna glanced up from the explosives, meeting Fred's eyes. He only grinned wider and shook his head. Anna was intrigued, despite herself, and the idea did seem like fun. Or at least more fun than standing around and talking about different school subjects for the next three hours. "Alright," she said. "But I get to be involved."   


"Wicked." Fred dumped a few into Anna's hand. 

"They take about three minutes to go off, and we want as many to go off at the same time as possible," George explained. "So we will have to try and put them in quickly, and at the same time as each other." 

Fred, George, and Anna had split up, each taking on a different side of the room. Anna had begun talking to Percy, who had started on a tangent about Charms and Professor Flitwick and paying little attention to Anna. She caught Fred's eye, who was positioned near Mr. Wood. He gave her a small smile, and Anna quickly dropped her pill-shaped explosive into Percy's cup. She then quickly excused herself and hurried towards Mr. Bagman. 

It took the three of them around a minute to use up all of the small explosives. They now waited, towards the back of the room, watching anxiously as the unsuspecting guests continued to sip their red wine and various other drinks. 

"How long did you say it took for them to activate again?" Anna asked after another minute had passed. But she didn't need to wait for an answer. There was a loud, echoing _pop_ noise, and all heads turned in the direction of Percy Weasley, who stood stunned, water dripping from his face and down the front of his clothes. 

Mrs. Weasley seemed to turn red with anger and knew immediately who to blame. The room was dead silent, as Mrs. Weasley stormed towards the twins and Anna, still carrying her glass. 

"Fred and George Weasley, I _cannot-"_ Mrs. Weasley stopped dead in her tracks as another loud _pop_ sounded and her glass of red wine exploded, drenching her face, hair, and clothes. Anna had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing, and it seemed Fred and Geroge were each having the same struggle. 

Not even a second later, an array of _pops_ erupted as nearly everyone's drink exploded. 

"What do we do now?" Anna whispered to George as the walls became stained with various colors of wine and juice. Mrs. Weasley had become distracted and was no longer looking in their direction. 

_"Run,_ " Fred said. A few angry voices had sounded, and Anna didn't need to be told twice. She quickly quicked off her flats, so she wouldn't slip and fall on her way up the stairs, and grabbed both the twin's wrists, dragging them along behind her as they both let out startled yelps. 

She pulled them up the grand staircase until they reached the second floor. Fred nearly fell as they rounded a sharp corner and sprinted down the long hallway. Anna quickly threw her bedroom door open and ushered the twins inside, then locked it behind them. 

The three of them collapsed on Anna's four-poster bed in a fit of laughter. Anna felt a few tears prick her eyes, and a sharp pain strick through her side as she continued to laugh. 

"Did you _see_ his face!" George exclaimed, mocking Percy's earlier expression, which sent Anna back into hysterics. 

"That was brilliant!" Anna said once she had managed to contain her laughter. "Please tell me there will be more of it, at Hogwarts." Both twins nodded excitedly. 

"Oh, we have much more where that came from," said George, grinning proudly. 

"Where did you even buy those things?" 

"We didn't," Fred interjected. "We made them!" 

"Bloody hell, your joking," Anna said, her eyes widening. "How?" 

"Lots of trial and error." George shrugged, and Anna laughed again. 

"Brilliant, you two are brilliant," Anna said in between laughs. Fred, who had been looking at her for a bit longer than necessary quickly averted his gaze, but Anna caught the smile he was trying to hide. She couldn't tell if he was blushing, or if his cheeks were simply red from laughing. 

"We may just have to add you to our team," said George. "Three people, we'd be unstoppable." Anna snorted. 

There was a loud knock on the door, and Mrs. Weasley's voice came through the door, "Fred and George Weasley you two get out of there now! We are _leaving!"_ Both twins gave each other a panicked look, their smiles fading. "Of course, I don't blame you, Anna darling. Fred and George out here at once!" Her tone changed so quickly Anna thought her brain had whiplash. 

Fred and George stood hesitantly. 

"Well then," said George. "I guess we'll see you on the train." 

"If we're not dead at the bottom of a lake somewhere," Fred whispered, so as Mrs. Weasley wouldn't overhear his worries. It seemed he didn't want to give his mother any ideas. 

"Ah, I'll look for you." 

"If you don't see us, assume the worst," said George. 

"I'll prepare a eulogy, just in case." 

"Please do," said Fred, a small grin making a reappearance. "And don't let us die in vain." 

"Never. I will avenge you, my loves." George snorted and opened the door. 

Mrs. Weasley's clothes were once again dry and stain-free, but her face was red with anger. She gave Anna a polite smile before turning back to her sons, grabbing each of them by the ear and dragging them out of Anna's bedroom, lecturing them all the while. 

"You were lovely, Anna!" Mrs. Weasley called out behind her. "I do hope we will see you again!"

"I'm sure you will!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song lyrics at the beginning are from "Rebel Rebel" by David Bowie


	2. Summer 1989: The Problem With Serpents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diagon Alley and troubled emotions.

_I can tell by your face_

_That you're looking for a place_

_To settle your mind_

_And reveal who you are_

**August 31st, 1989**

“This one!” Anna exclaimed, tapping on the glass of the shop. A large, white, snowy owl was perched regally on a wooden stand, puffing out its chest and trying to impress anyone passing by. Diagon Alley was packed full of Hogwarts students, all trying to buy their school supplies last minute. Anna and her brother were no different from the others, pushing their way into crowded shops, trying to get what they needed before it was gone. 

They had eaten lunch an hour or so before, and Anna had already gotten more than half her supplies. Now she only needed to get to Florence & Blotts and Madam Malkin’s to buy her robes. But she had gotten distracted by Eeylops Owl Emporium. Aries had tried to drag her away by the back of her cloak, but it had been no use. She stayed rooted to the spot, her face pressed against the glass. She was sure she looked like a complete nutter, but she couldn’t help herself. 

“Are you sure?” Anna’s father asked, gently pushing Anna aside so he could have a better look at the owl. Nora was a smaller, brown, Barn Owl. Aries, however, was the owner of a rather large Eagle Owl. Anna felt that Eagle Owls were simply too much for her, their egos tended to be rather large she had noticed over the years. 

“Can we hurry? I want to look at the brooms…” Aries was peering anxiously over his shoulder at the line that had begun to form outside of Quality Quidditch Supplies. As he was now a second year, he was permitted to bring a broom to Hogwarts, and he had no intention of missing such an opportunity. Anna thought his broom was fine, but Aries had his heart set on the newest model, and their father hadn’t been able to talk him out of it. Once Aries had his mind set, there was no changing it. The two siblings may differ in many,  _ many _ ways, but they at least had that one trait in common. 

Which had begun to make an appearance as Anna’s father attempted to point out a smaller owl. “Look, that one is just fine. Looks ready for an owner, too.” 

“I want this one.” Anna pointed at the Snowy Owl once more. 

Eventually, Oliver gave up and bought her the owl. He  _ had  _ promised, after all, to buy her whatever pet she wanted, and Anna always held people to their promises. 

Anna walked out of Eeylops holding the owl’s cage proudly. She had named her Elenore, after her mother, and couldn’t be happier with her choice. 

She let her father take Elenore, however, as he dropped her off in front of Madam Malkins, with the promise to return as soon as Aries was done shopping for a broom. 

She didn’t mind. Walking into the robe shop on her own made her feel independent and grown-up, and she held herself a little taller as she approached Madam Malkins herself. 

“Hello, dear,” Madam smiled. “Need a fitting?” 

“Yes, please.” 

“First year at Hogwarts, I suppose?” Anna nodded, and Madam tutted. “Follow me.” 

Madam Malkins led Anna towards the back and told her to stand atop a small wooden platform with her arms straight out as she began to take her measurements. A boy stood next to her, in the same position, as another worker measured him. Anna gave the boy a friendly smile, which he returned. He had chestnut brown hair that shone lighter in the summer sun glinting through the window and a friendly face. His features seemed to be a bit too big for his body, his hands too large, as well as his nose and his ears. “He’ll grow into those looks,” Nina would have said if she’d seen him. 

“Hello,” Anna said, glancing at the boy's reflection in the mirror. 

“Hello,” he replied, glancing sideways at her. He didn’t dare turn his head, in fear of getting snapped at by the already irritated looking worker. “Are you a first-year too?” 

Anna nodded, and the boy's smile broadened. “My name is Anna Blackwood,” she introduced herself. “And you are?” 

“Cedric Diggory.” Anna had heard the last name Diggory before, though she couldn’t put the name to a face. Most likely she had heard it in passing, from her father. Cedric beamed with pride when he spoke his surname. Probably the same way Anna looked when speaking of her mother, or father. She was rather proud to be a Blackwood. 

“Are you excited about Hogwarts?” Anna asked, trying to make friendly conversation. She felt it’d be awkward to stand in silence after introducing themselves. She hated being in awkward situations, hated awkward silence even more. It made her squirm. 

“Of course. I’ve been waiting to get my letter since I was five.” Anna laughed, which earned her a glare from Madam Malkins, who had been trying to measure her wingspan. “What house do you think you’ll be in?” 

Anna shrugged, which only earned her yet another deadly glare. Some families had a long line of one house. The Malfoys were a long line of Slytherins, the Weasleys, George had told her, were a long line of Gryffindors. But the Blackwoods couldn’t seem to pick a house. Anna’s mother had been a Slytherin, and so was her brother. Her father, however, had been a Hufflepuff. Her two older cousins, Talia and Peter Blackwood had both been in Ravenclaw. Her aunt, Sara Blackwood, had been in Gryffindor. Anna really had no clue where she would end up. Any house would do she supposed. Her father didn’t particularly care, but Anna had a sinking feeling Aries may be rather upset if she wasn’t sorted into Slytherin. 

She didn’t quite know what she thought of Slytherin. She almost wanted to be sorted into the house, simply because her mother was. She felt maybe it would make her feel closer to Elenore. Deep down, she felt maybe her mother would be proud enough of her to finally come back. Or at least answer one of her letters. On the other hand, a lot of Slytherins members were a bunch of mean gits, and she didn’t exactly know how she felt about being grouped in with them. What would that make Fred and George think of her? They hadn’t mentioned Slytherin, but the feud between Slytherin and Gryffindor ran deep enough that surely the twins weren’t very fond of the other house. 

“No, not really. Hufflepuff, maybe. My dad was one.” 

“Oh, really?” Cedric asked, raising his eyebrows. His mouth seemed to be set in a permanent smile. “My whole family has been sorted into Hufflepuff. I don’t think that tradition will break anytime soon.” 

“Ah,” Anna said again, biting the inside of her cheek as she thought up something to say. “Maybe Slytherin. That’s what my mum was.” Cedric’s smile faltered, and Anna immediately regretted bringing it up. 

When he spoke again, his voice was lowered. The two women who had been measuring them had left, and it was now just the two of them. “You know what Slytherin is known for, right?” 

Anna could feel herself flush. Did he think she was one of those pureblood superiority freaks now? That she agreed with you-know-who? She cursed herself silently. She may have just ruined any chance she had of making friends.

“Yeah,” Anna whispered back. “I’m not one of them, though. Neither was my mother.” Cedric took this in stride, and Anna felt relief wash over her in a wave. Cedric's friendly smile was back. 

“That’s good, then. No need to worry.” 

They made mindless small talk until Cedric was handed his robe. Anna made sure not to mention her brother, and ultimately stayed away from speaking about her family in general. It would lead to too many questions, she had realized, and she didn’t want to answer them. Or didn’t know how to. There was a lot she didn’t really know herself. 

“See you tomorrow then, Anna!” Cedric exclaimed, waving goodbye merrily. 

“Definitely,” Anna called back before he walked out of the store, the small bell above the door ringing behind him. 

It was another twenty minutes until Anna was fitted with her school robes and able to leave. Her interaction with Cedric pretty much decided for her; Slytherin was the one house she did not fancy getting into. Not if it meant losing other friends. She had met a few Slytherins, and never really got on well with them. If being Slytherin meant only hanging out with other Slytherins, she wanted nothing to do with the house. Mother or not. She couldn’t risk being left on her own. 

***

_ Why think all about  _

_ Who's gonna win out _

_ We'll make up the story as we go along _

The Blackwoods had decided it would be best if they spent the night in Diagon Alley, at the Leaky Cauldron, instead of making the trip back home then back to the station in the morning. Aries and Anna shared a bed in their small, rented room, and Oliver lay snoring on the second bed. 

Both Blackwood siblings lay on their backs, staring up at the ceiling. The moon was covered by clouds, making it so the only light being emitted was a faint glow from the crackling fireplace in front of them. 

Anna had begun to let her mind drift back to her conversation with Cedric, and felt the familiar claws of anxiety grab hold of her as she began to run through the qualities of each house in her mind. 

Aries must have noticed her beginning to get nervous because she spoke softly. “Anna,” he whispered. “Are you alright?” 

“What house do you think I’ll be in?” she asked quickly, letting the question come out before she thought about it too much. 

Aries shrugged. “I dunno.” 

“Hufflepuff?” 

Aries shrugged again and Anna huffed. He could at least try and be helpful. “Maybe. You don’t seem like you’d fit in very well there.” This only made Anna more nervous. 

“Where do I fit, then?” 

“I don’t know. Where do  _ you  _ think you fit?” Anna blinked a few times, thinking. She didn’t really know either. 

“Not Slytherin,” she said at once. Aries seemed taken aback and turned his head to face her. “I couldn’t be in Slytherin. Do you think I’ll be in Slytherin?” Anna turned to face her brother as well, her eyebrows furrowed. She couldn’t tell if Aries looked annoyed or hurt, but a weird expression had painted his face. 

“Is it really that bad, then?” he asked. “To be a Slytherin, anyway.” Anna again went quiet. Why couldn’t she just keep her mouth shut? She didn’t need Aries angry at her, not now. She hadn’t meant to upset him. 

Anna attempted to maintain a neutral face as she shrugged. “No, I suppose not,” she backtracked. “They’re not all bad. You’re not bad. Or, at least, you're not dark wizard bad.” Aries chuckled under his breath. As much as they bickered, Anna truly did love her brother. She really had no choice but to love him, even though he could be a real arse sometimes. He was the only one that truly understood how she felt. He had been with her through everything, had talked her through panic attacks, tucked her in when their father was too busy. He had been her only friend for a few years. She didn’t know what she would have done without him by her side. 

“Are you nervous?” He asked after a while. Anna nodded. 

“A bit. I met another first-year when I was getting my robe. We were talking about houses, and it didn’t seem like many people liked Slytherin.” 

“Many people don’t.” Aries sighed. “Can’t blame them, can we?” By ‘we’, Anna knew he met him and her. “Turned out some of the darkest wizards. But I don’t think you’ll get put in Slytherin. Gryffindor, maybe.” 

“Would you hate me if I was sorted into Gryffindor?” 

“No,” Aries replied, fiercely. His sudden anger took Anna a bit by surprise, and she jumped a little. "I could never hate you." 

“Okay,” Anna said. “Good.” 

“Don’t be nervous,” Aries said. “You’ll be okay. I promise.” He held his pinky out. Anna wrapped her own around his. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Okay,” Anna mumbled, drawing the covers up higher. “G’night.” She felt calmer knowing Aries wouldn't care what house she was sorted into. It seemed that had been the root of her anxiety. 

“Love you.”

The familiar hands of sleep led her into the dark. 

_ There's so little time  _

_ For us to try to rhyme  _

_ And so many highways to travel upon _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics in this chapter are from "As We Go Along" by The Monkees :)


	3. First Year: And So It Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sorting ceremony and new friends

_Girl, I know the grass is greener just around the bend_

_Got to say goodbye, but don't you fear_

_Though the road is broken and I might fail to find the end_

_I won't disappear_

**September 1st, 1989**

The platform was crowded with students of all ages hurrying onto the sleek, old fashioned Hogwarts Express. The train was large, and beautiful, and really quite unbelievable. It seemed like something that would only be seen in an art gallery, or perhaps some old history book. Not in real life. Though, that seemed like a lot of the wizarding world. Growing up a witch, Anna should have been used to it by then. It should be normal. But growing up surrounded by muggles, her sense of normalcy seemed to be clouded. 

Anna watched as mothers doted over their children, double-checking their bags and making sure they hadn’t forgotten anything. Others kissed their children's foreheads or pulled them in for a tight hug, while others clung to their children as they cried, making them promise they would write every weekend. 

It felt as if her insides had twisted, painfully, as she watched. She wished her mother would have written back, or come and seen her off. 

Not that her father didn’t do all the same things those poor mothers had done to their children. He had hugged Anna so tight she felt as though she was suffocating. 

“You’ve got your wand? Your toothbrush?” He questioned, finally releasing her. 

“Yes, dad,” Anna replied, exasperated. Oliver gave a weird, choking noise and Anna realized he was crying. She felt rather uncomfortable and didn’t know how to comfort him. She had never seen her father cry. 

In the end, she allowed him to pull her and Aries in for another embarrassing, bone-crushing hug, and Anna only began to pull away when she caught sight of the Weasleys. Their flaming red hair made them pretty hard to miss. 

Charlie and Percy were leading the front. The twins were right behind them, exchanging glances as Mrs. Weasley, red-faced, scolded them for some stunt they had most likely pulled earlier. Mr. Weasley brought up the back, the two youngest children practically clinging to his side. 

“Alright, I’ll let you two get on with it then.” Anna’s father dried his eyes quickly with the palms of his hands. “Off you pop.” Anna was already waving to the twins, who had managed to escape their mother’s wrath and bounded towards her, bags in hand. 

“C’mon, we gotta’ get an empty compartment,” Fred said, taking charge and leading them down the platform, glancing into windows until they finally found an unoccupied space and hurried inside.

Anna gave a pathetic jump, trying to reach the rack overhead to put her bag on top of it. It didn’t work. She huffed a sigh and began debating if she should just throw it up there. 

Fred, noticing Anna’s struggle, took her bag and placed it on the rack for her. She gave him a grateful smile, and threw herself onto the seat behind her, pressing her back up against the window and tucking her knees into her chest. 

Her father had placed Elenore in the back of the train, with the rest of the owls, before they bid their goodbyes. 

She turned her head, glancing out the window. It seemed Oliver was still talking to Aries, who was nodding along obediently. 

“Didn’t want to say goodbye to your mother?” Anna asked, her eyes now glued to Mrs. Weasley, pushing her children towards the train. 

“Reckon she’s glad we’re leaving,” George said, following Anna’s gaze. “Anyway, we’ll hear from her soon enough.” 

“Why was she lecturing you two?” 

“Ah.” George rubbed the back of his neck. “Long story.” 

“We swapped her tea this morning with a potion,” Fred explained. “Was supposed to turn her nose into a bird beak.” 

“She looks normal to me."

Yeah." Fred turned his gaze to the floor. “Didn’t exactly work how we wanted it to.” 

“She’s got feathers,” George said. “Under her cloak. It’ll only last for an hour.” Anna blinked a few times, then burst into laughter. 

“You’re joking!” She exclaimed, twisting in her seat so her face was pressed up against the window. She squinted, trying to catch a glimpse of Mrs. Weasley’s bare arm, and… there! As the small woman reached up to ruffle her son's hair, her cloak moved a bit to the side, revealing just a patch of bare skin. But instead of a freckled arm, a smattering of blue feathers was revealed. Anna gasped, then burst into hysterics. The twins shared a surprised glance before joining her. 

“Where the bloody hell did you buy a potion that does that?” She asked. She had never seen such a thing at Zonko's. In fact, she didn’t think she’d ever even _heard_ of a potion that did that. 

“We didn't,” Fred was practically bouncing with excitement. “We made it!” George grinned, nodding along. 

“Wow,” Anna said, impressed. “Talented, are you?” 

“Don’t like to brag.” Anna snorted. 

The Weasley brothers entered their cart to drop off their things, say their hellos to Anna, then left. Anna did not see Aries, though she didn’t really look for him either. 

By the time Hogwarts became visible, peaking through the rolling hills, the sun had begun to set. Anna had bought a load of sweets off the trolly an older witch had been pushing down the aisle earlier. She gave Fred and George most of it, and only ate two chocolate frogs and a sherbet candy. Too many sweets made her sick, and she felt she shouldn’t risk it on the train. 

They pulled to a screeching stop outside of a village Anna could only assume was Hogsmeade. First-years were instructed by a few older prefects to leave their belongings on the train, and follow them outside. Anna did so warily, snatching her cloak before she left. 

“First-years! O’er e’re!” A large, burly man called, beckoning them towards him. A few older students watched them with what seemed like a sense of nostalgia, before making their own way onto the black carriages awaiting them. 

The man introduced himself as Hagrid, the school gamekeeper. Anna thought that suited the man well, for no particular reason. 

“Four ter a boat,” Hagrid instructed as they stopped at the lake. It was a tradition for first-years to make their way to the school by crossing the lake. Anna had read about it in _Hogwarts: A History._ Across the lake, the castle loomed. It was huge, larger than she could have imagined. Towers stood like outstretched arms, reaching for the moon itself, which had just begun to come out of hiding. Anna could make out the faint, warm glow of candles from the open windows of the castle and really felt herself begging to get excited. 

Fred and George had pulled her into a boat, luckily, and one other boy joined them. He was dark-skinned, with dark, curly hair and brown eyes. He, like the twins, seemed to be in some sort of awkward stage, where his features seemed too big for his body. 

“I’m Lee Jordan,” he introduced himself, holding out his hand. All three of them shook and introduced themselves in return. The twins and Lee immediately jumped into a discussion about quidditch, as Lee had recognized the name Weasley, and had brought up Charlie’s success on the Gryffindor team. Anna interjected her own thoughts every once and a while, but ultimately let the boys take over the conversation. 

The boats came to a halt outside the castle on the dock, and students individually exited. Anna watched anxiously as the boats rocked back and forth, causing the water to ripple and move the other boats. One girl nearly fell in, which had resulted in a scream from her friend. 

Despite the first initial scare, they managed to make it out of the boats and into the castle alright. Hagrid left them outside the large entrance, and a stern-looking woman took over. She introduced herself as Professor McGonagall and led them through the halls up to the ginormous wooden door, which undoubtedly led to the Great Hall. 

On their way there, Anna had been so taken with the hundreds of portraits, all moving and speaking, some greeting the first-years, others whispering. 

She had been so intrigued, in fact, she had nearly tripped over her robes. She had been in the process of waving hello to a rowdy portrait of a couple of lads, who had all given her broad smiles, when the fabric had gotten caught under her feet and she had nearly fallen right on her face. 

Fortunately, Fred had caught her right before disaster struck. His hand was tight on her forearm, and he hauled her back upright with a cocky sort of grin. Anna, refusing to let embarrassment get the better of her, raised her chin in a haughty manner and dusted off her robes. She forced herself to walk with a sense of purpose. 

“In the Great Hall,” McGonagall began. She stood at the top of the stairs and looked down on all the first-years. “The sorting ceremony will begin. You will all be sorted into your respective houses, then sit at the assigned table.” No one objected as McGonagall flung the large doors open and led the first years into the Great Hall in a single file line. 

Fred and George both walked with a confident sort of swagger. Their shoulders back, chests puffed proudly. They knew, of course, they would be sorted into Gryffindor. There was no question about it. 

Anna, however, couldn’t stop the nerves that crept up on her. She pushed down the strong urge to vomit and instead began counting down from one hundred and taking deep breaths, a trick Aries had taught her when she was younger. 

In the very front of the Great Hall, placed directly in the center, stood a stool with a patchy, old wizards hat placed on top. 

To Anna’s surprise, a large rip in the hat opened, as if it were a mouth, and the hat began to sing, 

_“In years long since passed_

_When I was yet a newly sewn hat_

_And Hogwarts had barley just begun_

_The founders of our noble school_

_Led with grace and class!_

_Good friends as they were_

_They decided they would teach_

_All of those young witches and wizards they could reach_

_United by their common goal_

_They set out to create a school_

_Where separate houses would be made_

_Pertaining to each their name_

_Young Gryffindor sought to teach the bravest of the lot_

_And bookish Ravenclaw would teach the brightest_

_Kind Hufflepuff would teach those with patience and loyalty_

_And bold Slytherin would teach the ambitious and cunning!_

_And so they did for many years to come_

_And so they will continue_

_When your time here is done!_

_Now place me upon your head_

_And you will not be misled_

_As I peak into your mind_

_And find where you belong!”_

The crowd burst into applause as the hat finished its song. Fred and George were beside themselves, already shouting out, “Bravo! Bravo!” in their most dignified voices. The applause went on until McGonagall called for silence once more, and pulled out a large scroll. The distraction of the hat’s song began to fade, and Anna could feel her nerves start to take control once more. She began to fiddle with the sleeve of her robe, rubbing it between her thumb and pointer finger. 

“Arnold, Hayley,” McGonagall said, starting at the top of her list. A small, dark-haired witch made her way to the front of the Great Hall and took her seat eagerly on the stool. McGonagall gave her a kind smile before placing the hat on her head. It was quiet for a few moments, and it seemed the entire hall was holding its breath. 

“RAVENCLAW!” The hat shouted, and Hayley Arnold hopped off the stool and hurried to the Ravenclaw table, which had erupted in whoops and hollers. Two students with silver badges pinned to their chests greeted the girl and directed her to an empty seat. 

Anna had begun shifting her weight from one foot to another, and Fred seemed to catch on. He glanced back at her, taking in her pained expression. 

“Hey,” he said, his voice low. He raised his eyebrows. “You’re all right. Don’t stress it too much. Whatever house you get, we’ll still like you. You can’t lose me that easily.” Fred winked and Anna gave a small laugh, conceding. She took a couple more deep breaths, but her worries seemed to downsize considerably. Fred would at least still be her friend, even if she ended up in Slytherin. 

She cast a nervous glance towards the Slytherin table. All who sat there looked mean, and a bit intimidating. Anna scanned the students, searching for her brother, but to no avail. She was too short to see over many of the students' heads. 

And then there were in the B’s section of McGonagall's list, and Anna’s heart began to pound so loudly she worried people could hear it. 

“Bell, Torrance,” McGonagall called. The hat was barely placed on the young boys head when it called out, 

“HUFFLEPUFF!” 

So far only a few students had been placed into Slytherin, and none were treated kindly by the other houses. Anna almost felt bad for them, as they were greeted to boos. Mostly from the Gryffindor table. Was that what Aries went through last year? 

“Blackwood, Anna.” Fred gave her shoulder a friendly squeeze as she made her way up to the front of the Great Hall. She was too conscious of her movements, the way she walked and held herself. Was she slouching? Oh god, that would be embarrassing. She could feel the hundreds of eyes all plastered on her as she timidly took a seat on the stool. Her thumbnail was pressing very hard into the skin of her pointer finger, hard enough she wondered if it might bleed. 

She didn’t know where to look as she sat up there in front of everyone. She didn’t want to make eye contact with someone else, someone she didn’t know. That would definitely be awkward. 

But she didn’t have to worry about it for too long, because McGonagall placed the hat on her head and it was big enough that it fell over her eyes, and all she could see was black. 

“Ah, interesting,” a voice said in her ear. Anna nearly fell out of her seat as she jolted with surprise. The voice was, of course, coming from the hat. “Very interesting. Where do we put you?” The hat tutted. “Ravenclaw, perhaps? You have a rather clever brain in there. Maybe Slytherin then.” Anna tensed all over. Not Slytherin. Anything but Slytherin. “Yes, you would fit well in Slytherin. Lots of ambition, I see. Very resourceful, cunning, but what's this?” How long was this going to take? Anna's entire body tensed. She could feel the eyes of her fellow students on her and she thought she could hear a few murmurs coming from the tables. None of the others had taken this long. “I see. I see. Then it’ll have to be…” 

“GRYFFINDOR!” The hat shouted, this time outwards, to the rest of the Great Hall. Anna felt herself relax. Her jaw unclenched as McGonagall took the hat off Anna's head and gave her a warm smile. The Great Hall had exploded in cheers, and a few students clapped her on the back as she made her way to the Gryffindor table, where she was greeted by Charlie Weasley, who had a silver pin on his chest that read “Prefect.” 

“Alright, Anna, knew you had it in you,” Charlie said, grinning, and patting her on the back. She was directed towards an empty seat at the front of the table, and finally noticed Fred and George who were jumping up and down, grinning and waving at her like two complete nutters. Anna grinned and waved back. 

Once Anna had been sorted, she found the ceremony a bit boring. She was starving, and the bloody thing just continued to drag on. A girl named Angelina Johnson had been sorted into Gryffindor and had taken her seat next to Anna. Lee Jordan had been sorted into Gryffindor as well and had hurried over to Anna. Another girl named Alicia Spinnet had also been sorted into Gryffindor and had sat next to Angelina. The two girls had hurriedly introduced themselves, and the four of them had jumped into a conversation about the boat ride over. 

“Oh, that was _you_ who almost fell in?” Anna asked, her lips twitching as she fought back a smile. She found it wildly funny, but she wasn’t so sure that the two girls next to her would think so. Plus, she didn’t think laughing at other’s misfortune was a good way to make friends. But Lee caught her eye, and it seemed he was having the same internal struggle of pushing down a laugh. Anna had to look away, in fear that she couldn’t control herself. 

“Yes,” Angelina replied, exasperated. “How embarrassing. I had hoped no one noticed, but Alicia screamed so loud-” 

“I was _worried_ about your safety! You know, there's a giant squid that lives in there. You should be thankful you have such a caring friend,” Alicia had replied defensively. At that, both Anna and Lee lost it and began to laugh. For a moment, the two girls were silent. Anna quickly clapped a hand over her mouth, Lee doing the same, both of them trying to push it back down. But then Alicia let out a little giggle, which earned her a glare from Angelina, but made Anna and Lee burst out laughing once more.

“Oh, c’mon Angie. It’s a _little_ funny,” Alicia said, giving her an apologetic look. Angelina rolled her eyes, but Anna saw the small smile playing on her lips. 

Finally, McGonagall got to the two Weasley twins, and they were both sorted into Gryffindor, which was a surprise to nobody. They had gotten probably the loudest applause Anna had heard from the entire Great Hall. Well, the entire Great Hall except for the Slytherins, who brooded silently, shooting daggers at everyone sorted into Gryffindor. 

Anna was only glad her nerves really had been for nothing. As the feast began, she was able to divulge into rather large portions of lamb, peas, potatoes, and roasted carrots. When dessert came around, she had two helpings of pudding, and never once did she feel like puking. 

The warm feeling of a full stomach stuck with her the rest of the night, as they were dismissed from the Great Hall and led to their houses by prefects, who gave them all the password. The portrait of a rather round lady swung open and all the Gryffindor students stepped into their large, cozy common room. 

A fire was already burning, and the room was warm. Sprawling rugs decorated the floors and maroon colored tapestries with gold woven into them hung from the walls. A few older students had occupied the couches and were bent over books, already studying it seemed. 

Full of good food and her nerves finally settled, Anna realized how tired she was. She had barely gotten any sleep the night before, as she had been too busy worrying about what house she would be assigned. And she hadn’t gotten a chance to sleep on the train; the twins had kept her too busy with their bantering and planning. 

Anna bid her goodnights to the twins and Lee. Angelina and Alicia followed her into the first-year bedrooms. All of Anna’s belongings were already there, placed carefully in front of what she assumed was her bed. Angelina’s were to the right of her, and Alicia’s to her left. 

The beds were huge four-poster beds with deep, red velvet hangings on either side. The covers were also red, and very soft. She nearly flung herself onto the bed, which was also very, very soft. She sighed into her pillow and closed her eyes. She could have fallen asleep like that, if Angelina and Alicia hadn’t begun talking, and she decided she better put on her pajamas and brush her teeth. 

When she had finished getting properly ready for bed, the two girls were still talking. They each gave her a friendly smile, and Alicia began speaking to her, which Anna took as an invitation to join their conversation. 

“Anna, do you have any siblings?” Alicia asked. She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, her elbows propped up on her knees as she leaned forwards. Angelina was sprawled sideways across her bed on her stomach, feet in the air behind her. Both girls were intimidatingly pretty. Alicia had tanner skin and thick, dark hair which she had pulled up in a ponytail. She had wide, brown eyes that reminded Anna almost of a doe. Her features were still a bit rounded with childish youth. Angelina had darker skin and even darker, thicker hair that fell in lighter curls. 

Anna felt very ordinary next to them. She never thought of herself as ugly, really, but she didn’t think she was anything truly spectacular. 

“Yeah,” Anna answered, flopping down on her back and staring at the ceiling above her. “A brother.”

“Does he go here?” Alicia continued. Anna nodded. “Really? How old is he? What house is he in?” Anna felt herself cringe a bit. 

“Er, he’s a second year. And… he’s in Slytherin.” Anna hesitated a bit at the end, debating if she should really tell them. But what would the good be in lying? She would be living with these two for the next seven years. They would find out eventually. 

“Ah,” Angelina nodded. “I don’t really see what’s up with hating Slytherin. I mean, there are a few nasty ones, but surely they’re not _all_ bad.” Alicia nodded in agreement. 

“Yeah. I think it’s a bit silly, the feud between Gryffindor and Slytherin. It’s been dragging on for decades. Though, I’m sure a lot of that has to do with Quidditch. They’re known to play rather dirty,” Alicia reasoned, to which Anna agreed wholeheartedly. It was a bit silly.

“Hasn’t stopped Gryffindor from crushing them, though!” Angelina exclaimed. “I can’t wait until the season starts!” 

“Oh, bloody hell, you two are just as bad as the twins!” Anna exclaimed with mock horror. Angelina and Alicia laughed. “It's all they would talk about on the train. I’ve gotten quite sick of the word.” 

“Ah, cheer up mate,” Alicia said, throwing a pillow at Anna. “You’ll be hearing a lot more once the season actually starts. Best get used to it.”

“I suppose.” Anna sighed. She did love Quidditch, but that didn’t mean she wanted to talk about it all the time. “Do we get our schedules tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Alicia answered. “Have you seen Professor Snape? I hear he’s really nasty. Favors the Slytherins.” 

“No, but I’ve heard he’s mean to,” said Angelina. 

“Doesn’t he teach potions?” The name Snape seemed familiar, but she couldn’t place it. If he favors the Slytherins, most likely Aries mentioned him before. 

Alicia nodded. 

“So, what do you guys think? Seen any boys you may fancy?” Angelina asked, raising an eyebrow. Anna snorted, and Alicia gave an awkward giggle. “That Cedric boy is pretty handsome.”

“Diggory?” Anna asked, perking up. She pushed herself up on her elbows and turned to Angelina, who nodded. “I’ve met him.” 

“Really? Where?” 

“Madam Malkins, yesterday. He’s really nice.” 

“Really?” Angelina was now grinning. “Bagsy!” She shouted quickly. Anna snorted, and Alicia looked horrified. 

“Angie!” She exclaimed. “You can't bagsy a _boy_! That’s, like, inhumane or something!” Angelina had burst into wild giggles and was now laying on her back cackling like a madwoman. Alicia still looked scandalized, and Anna could already tell they were going to get on well. 

_Maybe I will be a star, or maybe just a clown_

_Girl, I'll never know until I try_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics used in this chapter are from the song "I'll Be Back Up On My Feet" (TV Version) by The Monkees :)


End file.
